More than 200 companies have supported an appeal to raise £40,000 so an “urban forest” of more than 1,000 trees can be planted next to the A38 in Plymouth.
Companies from international giants to small traders have given cash towards a Crowdfunder campaign, smashing the target with five days to go.
It means a “forest” of silver birch trees and a “dry river bed” of boulders, with grasses and flowers too, will be created at the Marsh Mills roundabout , a key gateway junction from the main A38 artery through the West Country.
The idea came from the Road to Mayflower team of businesses and organisations, mostly in the construction industries, which wanted to create a lasting legacy for the city to mark the Mayflower 400 commemorations, in 2020, four centuries after the Pilgrim Fathers’ voyage to America.
Pedigree companies such as Plessey Semiconductors, Plymouth Citybus, Biovault Technical. Drew and Co Ltd, Balfour Beatty, Brunel Recycling, Bruton Knowles, BAM Construction, and dozens more, already contributed cash – as did individuals.
By September 17, the amount raised was £40,718, with more coming in. Work could now start on the forest this year.
Emma Hewitt, skills co-ordinator at Building Plymouth, which has been leading the project, said: “We are absolutely delighted by the momentum, reach and success of our campaign – we have raised this cash thanks to the generosity of over 200 supporters.
“The local business community have been instrumental in enabling us to achieve our challenging target so a huge thank you to everyone who pledged support and helped to promote our project.
“It has also been overwhelming to see the amount of interest from local people who want to support this legacy project – my mum even raised over £600 by promoting to neighbours and friends, amazing.
“Every pound counted here and it is truly exciting to think our idea has evolved into a city wide backed community project.”
A design team led by volunteers from firms including AECOM, AWW and YGS Landscapes, and the Plymouth City Council-led Building Plymouth partnership, has been working on a plan to remove brambles and dead and diseased trees around the A38 flyover and plant a range of young and mature silver birth and Himalayan birch.
Healthy birch and oak trees already on the roundabout will be kept, and a wild-flower meadow and grassland will be sown to produce colour for several months of the year, and a habitat for animals and insects.
Plus, an “artistic dry riverbed”, created from enormous boulders, will wind its way underneath the elevated carriageways.
Already Plymouth property firm Burrington Estates has stepped up to provide 300 tonnes of Dartmoor granite boulders for the project, with will be transported in by haulage firm JBH at a discounted rate.
YGS Landscapes has already committed to maintain the forest for two years – for free – after it is built.
Adam King, associate director of AECOM, said: “AECOM, as the lead designer for this project, are delighted that crowd-funding has reached the target. This incredible achievement from the local community and businesses reinforces the commitment to our amazing city and this green infrastructure scheme.
“The pledges will now take the project one step further to reality. In liaison with Plymouth City Council and Highways England, our next steps will be the clearance of the scrub and self-seeded vegetation on the Marsh Mills roundabout, along with the installation of the dry river bed feature under the existing flyover.
“These works are planned to take place this autumn. Following this initial phase, there will be a significant amount of preparation work, which will need to take place over the winter.
“We are planning to undertake the first phases of the planting early in 2020, which will develop into the Mayflower Forest, a lasting legacy for Plymouth and an elegant, visually stimulating and environmentally sustainable gateway to our city.”
A £1,600 donation from electrical engineers Drew and Co Ltd pushed the Crowdfunder over the line. Andrew Botterill, from Drew and Co, said: “There is an urgent need for businesses to back environmental schemes and act to reduce nett carbon emissions from our activities.
“This brilliant idea struck a chord with us as a way of contributing to carbon capture in the most simple and natural way, tree planting.
“In addition the scheme forms a wider part of connecting the present day to the history and heritage of the city of Plymouth through the Mayflower 400 commemorations.
“If that wasn`t enough, once complete, the new green gateway to the city will create a much needed positive first impression to anyone visiting.
“We can`t wait to see the finished scheme and will be on hand to provide any further assistance to the build team.”
Stuart Elford, chief executive of Devon and Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, which also backed the project, said: “The chamber is delighted that the Mayflower Forest is going to be planted.
“This great legacy project will combine enhancing the arrival experience in this great city with environmental benefits that tackle pollution and provide a space for biodiversity.
The Greek proverb that ‘society grows great when people plant trees under whose shade they will never sit’ is so true and Plymouth can be proud of what it has achieved by working together to enhance our city for this and generations to come.”
Everyone who pledged support for this crowdfunding campaign has been recognised can be seen here
The campaign is still live and taking pledges until mid-day Wednesday, September 18 and can be seen here
To find out more about the Road to Mayflower project, including how to get involved in the project, click here
